Ten ways students can (and should) use the Richardson Memorial Library

Tucked away on the quiet third floor of the Museum’s South Building, the Richardson Memorial Library is a public art research library. In 1915, it was funded by Mary Danah McMurray Richardson’s Estate Gift in honor of her recently deceased husband, Joseph Clifford Richardson, a St. Louis businessman. It offers intensive research opportunities, unique St. Louis archives, and a quiet place to study, all of which can be especially useful to college students.

Here are ten ways researchers can utilize the Richardson Memorial Library:

1. As a fully functional art research library, students can utilize 118 databases ranging from JSTOR and Ancestry Library Edition to the more industry-specific AskArt and ArtNet.

2. Away from the hustle and bustle of the galleries, the library is an exceptionally quiet study space. Its recent renovation combined with original 1915 furnishings creates a tranquil area that is enhanced by knowledgeable and personable librarians.

3. The Richardson Memorial Library is a member of the MOBIUS consortium. This allows anyone with a MOBIUS account to check out books from 78 libraries across Missouri, Oklahoma, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas. Researchers can easily borrow books from the Museum’s library or from any other library in the consortium by placing a request through their home library. SLAM then sends the book out by courier.

4. For visitors interested in the art market, library staff can guide you through Catalogues Raisonnés and various valuation databases. With these resources, one may be able to ascertain the artwork’s artist, creation date, previous owners, and even its approximate monetary value. The library is an information bureau for lost objects; staff are frequently consulted to assist public patrons with questions regarding art identification and preservation.

5. Unique St. Louis history lives on in the stacks and the Museum’s archives. Whether you’re writing a research paper on the Louisiana Purchase Exposition or want to uncover SLAM exhibitions and programming from the early 1900s, it can be found in the Richardson Memorial Library. There is a host of local information that can only be found within the Library’s walls, including primary source materials.

6. Graduate and undergraduate students may gain on-site experience volunteering in the Museum Archives. Responsibilities in this position vary by project, and hours worked may translate to college credit. Students pursuing history, American studies, library sciences, or related degrees can learn more about potential Richardson Memorial Library volunteer opportunities by emailing archivist Jenna Stout at jenna.stout@slam.org.

7. There is free public internet access in the library with connectivity throughout the Museum. Once a device is connected, it can access subscription database content from anywhere on the Museum’s campus.

8. Visitors can use free one-on-one librarian assistance by appointment. This may include assistance developing search strategies and using specialized research databases; identifying, locating, and citing new sources/primary source materials; or answering general reference inquiries regarding cultural objects, art history, the Museum, its collection, and historic programming.

9. The Richardson Memorial Library has an encyclopedic collection of more than 160,000 books about art and art history. The library also has a vast collection of journals and auction catalogues.

10. Visitors can peruse different art and archaeology physical magazines, free of charge, including Archeology, The Art Newspaper, and The Burlington Magazine, as well as thousands of journal subscriptions through electronic databases.

The Richardson Memorial Library is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 am to 4:30 pm.